Change the Narrative: Open Letter to Nollywood

(By Adeolu Adefarasin) – An Open Letter to Nollywood 

To the industry I love dearly, 

    Now more than ever, I believe Nollywood is on the precipice of greatness, the eyes of the world are facing you and you have a great opportunity to speak, to be seen and to be heard. For far longer than I have been an active member of this valued industry, many before me have dreamt of the day that the reach and influence of Nollywood would go far and wide. I know there is so much to be proud of. 

    In the same breath, I am aware that with such great influence comes a weighty responsibility that cannot be ignored. Amongst the many lessons of 2022, I have learned that it is harder to speak truth to power when you seek the help that power can offer. So, at this moment, I lay down my personal aspirations and hopes for what I believe is the greater good, not just of the industry but the many people it influences. 

    As Nigerians, we have not always been set the best example, not by our elders, not by our leaders – political or otherwise, and not even by our peers. In the midst of that, we managed, for a long time, to maintain hope and a sense of moral integrity – two things I believe are waning under the pressure of present circumstances and the everyday realities of most Nigerians. I believe it is your responsibility to restore hope and a moral core to the masses,

Funmi Iyanda's Open Letter to Nigerian Youth

Recently, Funmi Iyanda delivered a Keynote Address at the ThinkOyo 30under30 Awards, challenging Nigeria’s emerging young intellectual elite to think positively and act differently from their parents in order to bring Nigeria the elusive transformative change that it desperately needs.

“For this elite, the rest of their kith and kin fill them with unease and even disgust and they condemn them to poverty and a passive consumption of other people’s science, innovations, religions, art and technology as though such achievements are beyond us. They also condemn their own children to future poverty not just material but emotional and cultural. Notably the stolen wealth hardly outlives the first generation.

So what shall we do? What will the young intellectual elite of today do differently?

A youth cultural revolution of ideology and values perhaps? Jettison the hypocrisy, the pseudo religious, anti women, anti children, anti poor patriarchy. Turn away from the bigotry, the megalomania, and the cultural bravado. Free yourselves and your future. Speak the truth to power and each other, not just on twitter, to face. Refuse to participate in the racket, the hustle, and the lie. Be better than that which is on offer.